By Kashmala Yousafzai
Few days back Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) held a rally in Makeen North Waziristan, apparently to support Afghanistan but the event marred by internal rift over had exposed the vested elements within the movement. Primarily the rift is over ideology and ownership of PTM, a diversion from initial days of this newly created ethnic organisiation.
We had earlier discussed the journey of Manzoor Mehsud from Mehsud Tahafuz Movement to Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and Pashteen along with mazari cap; today we will discuss the chronological journey of Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir from nationalist ANP & individual politics to PTM.
Mohsin Dawar:
Before joining PTM, Mohsin Javed alias Mohsin Dawar was a worker of Pashtun nationalist political party, Awami National Party (ANP).Let us have a look at the journey of Mohsin Dawar to understand his future political goals through PTM. Mohsin Javed alias Mohsin Dawar posted a YouTube video promoting “Loy Afghanistan (Greater Afghanistan)” and calling for the removal of US troops on 13 Oct 2010,. He later deleted that video.
By the end of December 2011, Mohsin informed his friend about the growing prowess of Awami National Party. Remember till this time Mohsin Dawar was a worker of ANP.
By 30th September 2013: Mohsin posts a photo of an event that was held at Gomal University organised by Pakhtun Student Federation PSF of Awami National Party (ANP).
The picture posted by Mohsin Dawar showed welcoming guests, including Ali Wazir whoch is a proof that both Ali Wazir and Mohsin were acquainted since 2013. Both later joined PTM.
On 8th October 2013 Mohsin shares a report by Mashaal Radio a US funded media on Malala from Melbourne, Australia. Many photos shared by him or his friends confirm that Mohsin Dawar was in Australia during that period.
On 25th October 2013 Mohsin posted images at “Super Cheap Autos” in Melbourne, Australia. These images showed he was bidding farewell to his colleagues there and looks like he was working at that facility.
On 30th June 2014, Mohsin Dawar participated in a social welfare programme organised by National Youth Organisation (NYO) of Awami National Party (ANP) Leader of ANP, Mian Iftikhar Hussain was one of the guests of that programme.
On 16 Sep 2014: Mohsin posted a photo with Reham Khan, the ex-spouse of PM Imran Khan.
On 16 Sep 2014 , Mohsin shares another photo with Reham Khan, this time at the Bacha Khan Education and Awareness School in Bannu. This shows that he was acquainted with Rehman Khan at that time.
On 28 Sep 2014: Mohsin addressed an event to pay homage to Dr. Najeebullah of Afghanistan at Islamabad Press Club. The then ANP leader Afrasiab Khattak also spoke on the occasion. This shows Mohsin Dawar’s inclination towards Pashtunistan agenda.
At the end of September 2014, Mohsin Dawar became Central Additional General Secretary of NYO (ANP). On October 9th , 2014 Mohsin Dawar shared a report by Mashaal Radio again a US funded media which highlighted receipt of an award by Mohsin Dawar from IDPs for his welfare services through NYO’s platform. Note down how Mashaal Radio became a regular feature and tool for PTM narrative in coming days.
On 18th October 2014 Mohsin Dawar appreciated a speech by PPP Co-Chairman Bilawal Bhutto by tagging and quoting Nazrana Ghaffar Yousafzai (Broadcaster at Voice of America/ US State Department). This depiction shows Mohsin knew her personally.
In February 2015: Mohsin Dawar was seen interacting with Ijaz Khan, former Professor of International Relations at University of Peshawar. Ijaz Khan later was found to be a staunch PTM supporter and often further the agenda of this movement.
On 17th February 2015:, Mohsin Dawar attended APC on CPEC along with the stage with head of Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali Khan.
On December 13, 2015: Mohsin Dawar shared a video by Voice of America Deewa Radio (US State Department funded). The video was a homage to the “struggle” of Sanna Ejaz, another known and staunch core committee member of PTM. This shows Mohsin knew her personally as he tagged her profile while promoting her through spreading VoA video.
On 8th June 2016:, Mohsin Dawar was seen thanking comrades for approving his nomination as Central Organiser of NYO (ANP).
On 9 Jun 2016: Mohsin Dawar posted images where he and his friends were shown discussing problems faced by IDPs in North Waziristan in a program hosted by Reham Khan. (Note how from posting casual images with Reham Khan, Mohsin Dawar had managed to reach out to IDPs Of North Waziristan along with her for media promotion of himself.
Later Mohsin Dawar shared an article by his friend Mona Aurangzeb questioning the legitimacy of the Pakistan-Afghanistan International Border by calling it Durand Line. This was a clear indication of how Mohsin Dawar was setting the future course for an ethnic separatist group which later was named PTM.
In Jun 2016, Mohsin Dawar shared an article by ‘The Pashtun Times’, an Afghanistan based hostile anti-Pakistan forum. The article was not only critical of Pakistan but also questioning the counter terrorism successes by Pakistan Army. This anti-Pakistan narrative later was adopted publically by PTM.
On 28th July 2016: Mohsin Dawar shared photo of a trip to Ziarat with friends. Tariq Shah alias Tariq Afghan can be seen standing beside Mohsin. He is a prominent ANP activist and led social media campaigns against CPEC under the aegis of Dr Said Alam Mahsud organisation. Said Alam later became the core committee member and leader of PTM.
In October 2016, Mohsin Dawar attended a meeting on problems faced by IDPs organised by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in Islamabad. HRCP the same platform which Afrisyab had been a member of and he used it for spreading PTM narrative till day.
On 9th November 2016, Dawn publishes a report of Utmanzai tribal elders who rejected the reconstruction of demolished shops in North Waziristan. The interesting aspect of this news and protest was that Mohsin Dawar had led these Utmanzai Tribal elders’ protest. He later shared the Dawn report on his timeline. News Report link: https://dawn.com/news/1299369
On 11th December 2016, Mohsin Dawar posted a photo showing a gathering of ANP leaders including Mohsin Dawar, Afrasiab Khattak and Bushra Gohar (latter Afrasiayb and Bushra Gohar became the face of PTM rather it is believed that these two were instrumental in convincing Mohsin Dawar to make his own faction of PTM. These two are staunch PTM promoters.
On 15 December 2016: Mohsin Dawar shared a report by Voice of America that covered the protest by traders led by himself from North Waziristan. These events are indication how Mohsin Dawar was trying to get himself accepted by locals as a Pashtun leader.
On 16 December 2016, Mohsin Dawar called PML-N leadership (PML-N was in government at that time) as “chauvinist Punjabis” who as per Pashtun entho-fascists are a hurdle to Pashtun unity.
On December 21, 2016, Mohsin Dawar wrote an op-ed for The Nation wherein he claimed that only North Waziristan’s residents were affected by Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
On 26th December 2016, Mohsin Dawar spoke at a seminar titled “CPEC – Development or Exploitation?’ It was organised by Pashtun Students Federation at International Islamic University Islamabad. This shows once again that under Pashtun title he was already speaking against CPEC.
On 29th June 2017: Mohsin Dawar thanked Voice of America Deewa Radio for providing him a platform where he vented his frustration and against the State of Pakistan’s efforts for economic revival of North Waziristan.
On 6th July 2017: Mohsin Dawar once gains shared a report by Mashaal Radio projecting efforts by him and his team for welfare of TDPs in Waziristan.
On 15 Jul 2017, Mohsin Dawar condemns an alleged militant attack on the residence of Voice of America Deewa Radio reporter Adnan Bitani who he referred to as a “friend”. This Adnan Bittani is seen as staunch supporter of PTM which shows that how all these PTM members had been connected to each other since the very start.
On 19th July 2017, Mohsin Dawar shared a video by Mashaal Radio covering ANP’s protest led by Mian Iftikhar Hussain against FATA Reforms in front of the Governor House.
On 6th September 2017, Mohsin Dawar condemned the arrest of tribal protestors in D.I. Khan, including “Manzoor Mehsud”, This was the first public indication that Mohsin Dawar had been introduced to Manzoor Mehsud. Manzoor later became Manzoor Pashteen and a leader of PTM rather a front face for getting support for Pashtuns.
On Oct 2017: Mohsin attended the South Asians against Terrorism and for Humanity (SAATH) conference in London organised by Husain Haqqani and Dr. Mohammad Taqi. Mohsin tagged his friend Rahman Bunairee of Voice of America Deewa Radio. SAATH forum is the platform, which is accused of launching Mohsin Dawar and Hussain Haqqani is accused of being the main architect of an ethnic organisation like PTM from behind the scene by many in Pakistan.
On Oct 2017, After the SAATH conference, Mohsin accepted the invitation to meet by ANP London leadership.
On 20th November 2017, Mohsin Dawar shared a report for Voice of America Pashto by his friend Nazrana Ghaffar Yousufzai . The report once again questions the need for another Pakistan military operation in South Waziristan.
On 29th November 2017: Mohsin Dawar addressed participants of a sit-in outside University of Peshawar organised by Mehsud Tahaffuz Movement (MTM). This movement ,was founded by Manzoor Mehsud who later adopted the name Manzoor Pashteen, before being renamed as PTM.
Now this is very interesting point where Mohsin Dawar was properly introduced to ethnic politics under the banner of MTM,PTM.
On 9th December 2017: Mohsin shares a video report by Mashaal Radio (US State Department funded) about his visit to victims of North Waziristan incident undergoing treatment at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. He is accompanying Mian Iftikhar Hussain of ANP.
On 12th December 2017: Mohsin alleged that residents of North Waziristan were mistreated after Operation Zarb-e-Azb against the terrorist in the areas of Pak-Afghan border.
On 13th December 2017: Mohsin Dawar once again shared a report by Voice of America Deewa Radio about raising issues on behalf of tribal traders.
On 17 December 2017: Mohsin shared a report by BBC Urdu where he and Afrasiab Khattak were quoted regarding mistreatment of North Waziristan residents. They also accused the army. The report was authored by Azizullah Khan, a known ANP supporter. Report link: https://bbc.com/urdu/pakistan-42362205…
One 19th January 2018: Mohsin expressed outrage at banning of Mashaal Radio broadcast in Pakistan by the Ministry of Interior. Mohsin Dawar once again used the word “Punjabi Chauvinism” accusing Punjab of banning the US run Radio.
On 1st February 2018: Mohsin shared photos from a sit-in in Islamabad against the extra-judicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi. The event was called “Tehreek Naqeeb Shaheed” (Martyr Naqeeb Movement) instead of “PTM”. Till this point there was no mention of PTM. This was a turning point because it was Naqeebullah Mehsud’s murder in Karachi which had triggered a series of protests by PTM which later galvanised into a Pashtun movement.
On 22nd February 2018: First photo showing Mohsin with future PTM leader Ali Wazir and Manzoor Pashteen at a meeting of “Malgari Doctoran” (Doctor Friends), an association formed by ANP. Apparently, one Dr Mian Iftikhar Hussain facilitated this meetup.
One 23rd February 2018: Mohsin shared a post by friend Shahbaz Khan Stouryani of ANP who is also friend to Ali Wazir and Manzoor and who proclaims himself a member of “Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement”. Note these words Pashtun Tahafuz Movement were spotted in this post for the first time on Mohsin’s timeline.
One 27 Feb 2018: Mohsin shared a report by Abubakar Siddique (Editor of US funded ‘Gandhara/ RFERL’) and Abdul Hai Kakar (RFERL) in which they mentioned Mohsin as a senior leader of “PTM”. Mohsin himself never used this group name on his profile until that time.
On 28th February 2018: Gandhara website (US funded) published Mohsin’s first exclusive piece referring to PTM as a “Pashtun Spring” phenomenon (akin to Arab Spring). Mohsin calls the movement an “awakening”. Article link: https://gandhara.rferl.org/a/pakistan-pashtun-awakening/29068396.html…
On 2nd March 2018: Mohsin shared a video by Mashaal Radio (US funded) projecting Manzoor wearing the mazari cap as leader of PTM in this video.
On 3rd March 2018: Mohsin shared another featured video report on PTM by Voice of America Deewa Radio (US funded).
On 7 March 2018: Mohsin shared a report by Voice of America Pashto (US funded) quoting him and promoting PTM.
On 8th March 2018: Mohsin awards Wana-based singer Shaukat Wazir for singing the PTM anthem “Da Sangi Azadi Da?” (What Freedom Is This?) Interestingly, the award is given during a ceremony of ANP’s PSF in D.I. Khan.
On 11 Marc 2018: Mohsin shared a video report by Mashaal Radio (US funded) covering PTM’s march in Qilla Saifullah Balcohsitan.
On 12 Marc 2018: Mohsin shared another report of Mashaal Radio (US funded) projecting PTM’s Quetta show. The video is edited by Pamir Sahill, himself a promoter of anti-Pakistan elements, and uses PTM hashtags against the state of Pakistan.
On 15th March 2018: Mohsin thanked his friend and Afghan government employee Hamdullah Arbab for painting his portrait. He previously made one for Ali Wazir also. Hamdullah is an Afghan propagandist who supports anti-Pakistan material.
On 10 May 2018: Mohsin shared a report by Voice of America Pashto (US funded) about PTM’s meetup in Karachi. This can be noted that VoA had been instrumental in spreading PTM narrative against Pakistan.
On10 May 2018: Mohsin gave an interview to Fazal Aziz Bunairee of Voice of America Deewa Radio (US funded) regarding alleged Sindh Rangers harassment of PTM activists. Fazal is himself a friend of ANP and PTM leaders.
On 11th May 2018: Mohsin endorsed and praised his colleague Sanna Ejaz (who would become leader of PTM Women Wing). Sanna was previously campaigner against CPEC for Dr Said Alam Mehsud’s PUT. She later remained active for furthering PTM agenda and lastly sides with Said Alam Mehsud.
On 14th May 2018: Manzoor shared live streaming of PTM demonstration in Karachi by Voice of America Deewa Radio (US funded).The host was Fazal Aziz Bunairee.
On 18th May 2018: Mohsin shared a PTM imagery propaganda artwork by his friend and Afghan government employee Hamdullah Arbab.
On 27 May 2018: Mohsin shared a report by Voice of America Urdu (US funded) about nomination of PTM representatives to hold dialogue with the government (then led by PML-N).
On 28 May 2018: Mohsin issued statements on PTM’s course of action to Voice of America Pashto (US funded). See how entire chain of events is linked to VoA.
One 4th June 2018: Mohsin shared a video (originally shared by Asal Achakzai of PkMAP) showing Mehmood Khan Achakzai supporting PTM. Mohsin referred to Achakzai as “mashar” (guide/mentor).
On 13 Jun 2018: Mohsin gave an interview to Voice of America Deewa Radio (US funded).
On 13th July 2018: Mohsin shared a report by Voice of America Deewa Radio again a US funded radio which had covered his election campaigning.
ON 21st October 2018: Mohsin addressed a seminar in Virginia (US) organised by Association of Physicians of Pakistan in North America. Other prominent speakers include Raza Rumi and Anwar Iqbal (Dawn).
On 6th November 2018: Mohsin shared a sarcastic couplet meant to highlight his praise/admiration for ANP leaders Afrasiab Khattak and Bushra Gohar. Apparently both have heavily influenced Mohsin’s thinking over the past years.
On 5 Nov 2018: Mohsin shared live coverage of a PTM event by Facebook page of Voice of America Deewa Radio (US funded).
On 5 Nov 2018: Mohsin shared a live interview of Manzoor Pashteen with his friend Nazrana Ghaffar Yousafzai through Facebook page of Voice of America Pashto (US funded). Note that another page (Deewa) on the same day already covered PTM event live. This is manifestation of VoA and other such US funded outlets’ support to this ethnic movement.
On 5 Nov 2018: PTM propagandist Muhammad Zubair Mehsud (formerly Law teacher at University of Peshawar) speaks to Voice of America Urdu’s Facebook page (US funded). Deewa and Pashto pages covering PTM on same day, Mohsin shared the video on 6th Nov.
ON 7 November 2018: Mohsin gave a live video interview to Barakwal Miankhel through Facebook page of Voice of America Deewa Radio (US funded). Barakwal is himself a PTM supporter.
On 11 November 2018: Mohsin paid homage to his mentor Afrasiab Khattak. This is to be noted that despite being members of ANP both of these have parted ways with Pashtun party ANP.
On 14 November 2018: Mohsin gave interview to Mashaal Radio (US funded) accusing State of Pakistan of the assassination of SP Tahir Dawar. The host of that interview was Bashir Gwakh, an Afghan and himself a PTM supporter.
On 15 Nov 2018: Mohsin shared live interview of his mentor Bushra Gohar on assassination of SP Tahir Dawar. Host Nilofer Mughal conducted interview through Facebook page of Voice of America Urdu (US funded).
On 16 Nov 2018: Mohsin shared a propaganda artwork on SP Tahir Dawar posted by his mentor Bushra Gohar. Painting of PTM leaders carrying Tahir by Afghan government employee Hamdullah Arbab.
After going through the digital journey of Moshin Dawar it is understood that Mohsin began taking a formal interest in PTM in the mid 2018 onward. He appears to be heavily influenced by ANP leaders Afrasiab Khattak and Bushra Gohar and has been covered by all platforms of US funded Voice of America including writing for ‘Gandhara’.
The chronological cyber journey of Mohsin Dawar shows that long before Manzoor, Ali Wazir was eyed by hostile foreign countries for proxy against Pakistan. The US funded media had been instrumental in digital launching of Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar and Manzoor Pashteen.
Whereas for spreading the narrative of Pashtunistan and Lar or Bar Yo Afghan slogan by PTM, active social media tools were used against Pakistan from Afghanistan, Europe where Afghans are in large numbers as refugees.
All top anti-Pakistan and pro-PTM trends had the footprint of foreign soil where Afghans migrants had been feeding these trends. A number of such top PTM Trends were initiated from Afghanistan and India jointly.
Apart from digital cyberwar, physical events such as protests against Pakistan using PTM platform and banners were arranged by Afghans and Indians abroad specially in Germany, US. A number of such events in Geneva funded by foreign anti-Pakistan states carrying sloganeering against Pakistan, were attended by elements from banned terrorist organisations such as BLA.
Certain media outlets known for their anti-Pakistan stance had duly promoted PTM and their events in not only in Pakistan but in foreign countries too which fundamentally had furthered the narrative of this ethic movement against Pakistan.
The Afghan government officials publicly had been supporting PTM contrary to diplomatic norms and international protocols.
